Entertainment in Tampa Bay
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A
Hyde Park Café
This downtown late-night indoor-outdoor café, pizza place (pizzas $9 to $15), and VIP club gets really packed on Tuesday nights with eclectic music. Patrons drop by on other nights to check out the DJ spinning tunes. Happy hour (with no cover) dominates from 8pm to 10pm, while silicone implants and South Beach slick attire pick up the slack after 10pm.
reviewed
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B
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
This is the largest performing-arts center south of the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. It hosts major concerts, touring Broadway productions, plays, the Tampa Ballet and special events. The complex has five theaters: Festival Hall (a 2500-seat venue where touring Broadway shows and headliners perform), Ferguson Hall (with 1000 seats), the Jaeb (a three-floor cabaret), the Teco (with 200 seats) and the 100-seat Shimberg Playhouse, a ‘black box’ venue for cutting-edge performances by local and national artists and groups. Free backstage guided tours are offered Wednesday and Saturday at 10am, by reservation.
reviewed
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717 South
Young professionals gather after work to mingle and sip martinis (there is a rainbow of flavors) in the posh lounge at one of Tampa’s top spots to see and be seen. If you need something to eat after all the vodka, head to the restaurant dining room for imaginative takes on Italian classics served amid art-deco paintings, high ceilings and an open kitchen.
reviewed
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C
Legends Field
The New York Yankees play spring-training baseball games in March at Legends Field, the 10,000-seat stadium modeled after the ‘House that Ruth Built’ (ie Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York). The Yankees’ minor-league team, the Tampa Yankees, plays at Legends Field from April to September (tickets $3 to $5).
reviewed
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D
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
There's so much rock-and-roll memorabilia, it's as if the Hard Rock chain has mugged every famous musician for the last 50 years. This up-to-date casino is equivalent to Atlantic City standards but not Vegas overkill. The snazzy restaurant has live bands nightly. Free outdoor parking.
reviewed
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E
Empire/Climax
Techno, hip-hop and booty tunes draw a diverse crowd here, where DJs spin R&B and reggae to color laser lights on Friday and Saturday. On Thursdays you can drink all night (for free) after paying the cover, which increases as the night goes on.
reviewed
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F
Green Iguana Bar & Grill
A cool, laid-back bar and restaurant by day (with Floribbean food, fish sandwiches and good burgers), by night the Green Iguana is actually two clubs in one. Head here for high-energy cover bands or DJ-driven dance music; $1 drinks on Wednesday.
reviewed
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G
Hub
This fun downtown hangout, complete with jukebox and cheap drinks, looks like a hole in the wall, but the bar gets packed on weekends with a Jack Daniels-and-Coke crowd. Be prepared to call a cab after ordering a few too many.
reviewed
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Sun Dome
On the USF campus, the Sun Dome hosts rock, jazz, pop and other concerts – from Jimmy Buffet to Ludacris, from Luciano Pavarotti to the World Wrestling Federation (now there’s some ‘performing arts’ for you!).
reviewed
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Outback Bowl
If you’ve never seen a US college football game, definitely don’t miss the Outback Bowl, an NCAA (National College Athletic Association) football game on New Year’s Day.
reviewed
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Adobe Gilas
The 2nd-floor balconies at this bar are a fabulous vantage point from which to take in the street scene below (and the bartenders also happen to mix fabulous margaritas).
reviewed
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New World Brewery
This bar and disco draws a hugely lubricated crowd with its great dance music but it also has a great jukebox. DJs and live music grace the place a few nights weekly.
reviewed
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J
USF School of Music
Home to the USF Theater, this venue stages concerts and recitals open to the entire community. It’s accessible from Fowler Ave exits on the I-275 and the I-75.
reviewed
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K
Gameworks
A high-tech play place with virtual-reality free-falling simulators and the like, Gameworks has plenty of decent eateries and bars to keep you entertained.
reviewed
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L
Florida Orchestra
This 90-piece orchestra plays at the Performing Arts Center as well as venues in St Petersburg and Clearwater; look for free park concerts, too.
reviewed
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Metropolis
This gay dance club with DJs draws more men than women (could that have anything to do with the strippers?), but girls are certainly welcome.
reviewed
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Tampa Bay Brewing Company
This fun brew-pub has a good selection of microbrews, $4 liters on Wednesday and weekday happy hours (4pm to 7pm).
reviewed
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O
St Pete's Times Forum
Enjoy professional hockey at St Pete Times Forum with Tampa Bay Lightning.
reviewed
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Improv Comedy Theater
This 21+ comedy club brings the funny five nights a week with local and national acts.
reviewed
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Q
Raymond James Stadium
Watch the Buccaneers play NFL football at Raymond James Stadium.
reviewed
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Tampa Theatre
This historic 1926 theater in downtown is a gorgeous venue to see an independent film, and before most movies they play the mighty Wurlitzer organ. Too bad showtimes are so limited: only one evening screening midweek and three on weekends. Look for special events.
reviewed
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UT Falktheater
This 900-seat theater is operated by the University of Tampa.
reviewed
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Independent Bar
If you appreciate craft brews, roll in to this converted gas station, now a low-key hip bar in Seminole Heights. You can count on one or more local Cigar City Brews, and they serve some mean pub grub.
reviewed
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Club Prana
reviewed
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Cinebistro
Cross a trendy South Beach nightclub with a plush arthouse cinema, and you get this: a snazzy, lobby cocktail bar, and upscale munchies to nosh at your seat while you watch. It's moviegoing… with style.
reviewed